Peek at PFL Round 1

[Tallman]

Peek at PFL Round 1
By Joel Villafana (ttproleague.com)

W Connection Start Defence Against Big 6 Winners

Defending Champions W Connection will open the 2006 season against last season’s Lucozade Sport big 6 winners United Petrotrin.

In years gone by the ‘Savonetta Boys’ may have considered this clash a walk in the park—but Petrotrin have displayed last season, they were rounding off in a decent looking outfit and coach Brian Williams fresh from winning the 2005 ‘Coach of the Year’ award is promising this season his troops will be even better prepared.

So it can prove to be a dicey first encounter for the powerful ‘Savonetta Boys’ at the Ato Boldon Stadium.

Connection’s biggest challenge will be the fact that this year they will be without undoubtedly their most influential player in Brazilian Gefferson Goulart—and this year they will be fielding a number of the young players who have come up through the ranks, and its just a matter of time to see how this new look team will perform.

This year, the likes of Shane Calderdon, Lyndon Diaz, Nickolson Thomas, Andrei Pacheco, Dwight Scott and Clyde Leon will all be under the microscope as they seek to live up to the high standards W Connection have set.

Starworld Challenge the Might of Jabloteh

Starworld Strikers have made a return this season to the T&T Pro League and they will face what will be a tough re-introduction to life in the Pro League when they face last season’s Pro Bowl and F.A. Cup Champions San Juan Jabloteh.

Jabloteh is boasting of fielding a 100% local outfit—and this year they will be led on the field by newly appointed skipper Kerry Baptiste.

Former national midfielder Angus Eve has graciously bowed out and will be now coaching Jabloteh’s under 16 team.

The Jabloteh attack looks strong on paper, as they have signed national striker Anthony Wolfe, and also has a young talent in Jason Marcano as well as experienced striker Peter Prosper.

Starworld will have their work cut out for them—the question is- Can the San Fernando based club take up from where they left off when they last played in the League?

Caledonia Take Aim At The Army

Caledonia AIA and Defence force may be very well starting on the same footing.

These two teams have been the most inconsistent teams in local professional football over the last few season—one day producing good football and the other day they will look flat.

Caledonia however, will be coming this year with a level of confidence based on their 3rd place finish last season—the Jamal Shabbazz coached outfit will be aiming to possibly better their standings this season and what better way with a good start against Defence Force.

But this encounter can go anyway—as Defence Force is promising this season they will be coming with a renewed sense of purpose.

Can Devon Jorsling, Kevon Carter, Cory Rivers, Anton Pierre and Odelle Armstrong gel as a unit and get results this year?

Tobago United vs Superstar Rangers

The boys from the sister isle will have one thing on their mind—avoid relegation.

Tobago United have escaped the prospect of being demoted for the last 3 seasons, having finished at the bottom of the standings—but this year with the promotion-relegation system firmly in place Peter Granville’s forces will be hoping to get off to a good start against the newcomers Superstar Rangers.

Coach Granville is giving a guarantee that teams coming to Tobago will have a serious fight on their hands to leave with points—so it may not be easy for Superstar Rangers in their very first season in the Pro League to take something away from the game.

Come what may it will be an interest filled encounter with these two teams trying to establish an advantage from early.

Joe Public Makes a Trip to Sangre Grande

This clash is an Eastern Derby—as it brings together the ‘Eastern Lions Joe Public and the boys from Sangre Grande, North East Stars.

Joe Public comes back into the Pro League this year with a lot to prove—Can they continue to dominate in the way they did at the Super League?

Confident coach Michael Mc Commie is not worried about his team making the transition and believes, his forces have what it takes to not only challenge, but also topple the best of the Pro League.

It won’t be an easy task however, to head up to the Sangre Grande Recreation ground to play former League Champions North East Stars in their very own back yard in front of thousands of screaming Sangre Grande supporters.

May the best Eastern Giant win.

Round 1—Saturday 8th April, 2006

W Connection vs United Petrotrin
Ato Boldon Stadium…6 p.m.

Caledonia AIA Fire vs Defence Force
Larry Gomes Stadium..6p.m

Starworld Strikers vs San Juan Jabloteh
Mannie Ramjohn Stadium..6 p.m.

Tobago United vs Superstar Rangers
Dwight Yorke Stadium..5p.m.

Round 1—Sunday 9th April 2006

North East Stars vs Joe Public
Sangre Grande Recreation Ground…4 p.m.

[DeSoWa]

Let the games begin  Go Starworld Strikers!!!

Big Up!

[kidsgrove_valiant]

Who are the top teams in this league then?

[DeSoWa]

W Connection and Jabloteh...buh dah was last year

Big Up!

[kidsgrove_valiant]

So could be anyone's league this season then?  Will the season run alongside the World Cup then?  The English leagues are always finished in time for the when the World Cup starts

[DeSoWa]

From what I know there is always a break when there are big international football events taking place...but maybe someone who knows better can shed some light on this.

Yeah it can be anyones game this year, but the big guns would still be on top, just the gap would be much smaller.

Big Up!

[kidsgrove_valiant]

It's always better to have a really close league.  Makes the season more exciting than if one team races away with the title

[richpy]

Oooh boy. They open up meh South teams with some hard hard games. Petrotrin vs Connection, and Triple-S vs Jabloteh! Go South. Come Sando, alyuh show some community spirit and full-up "The Manny"

[breezers]

Oooh boy. They open up meh South teams with some hard hard games. Petrotrin vs Connection, and Triple-S vs Jabloteh! Go South. Come Sando, alyuh show some community spirit and full-up "The Manny"

Same thing I was sayin too..buh ah still expectin good results from both south teams doe.
So ALL South Men STAND UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[palos]

So ALL South Men STAND UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

From what plenty South women tell meh....dat is a RARE OCCURENCE! 

[elan]

Eh........ SOUTH FOREVER. They can't stop south, we go show them how it is done.

[E-man]

Pro League back in action
Oil Boys, Connection in South/Central Derby
by Ian Prescott (Express)

Saturday, April 8th 2006
 
 
Tobago United coach Peter Granville, left, chats with T&T Pro League CEO Dexter Skeene, centre, and Joe Public coach Michael McComie, on Thursday, following the launch of the Pro League's 2006 season at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Wrightson Road, Port of Spain. The new season kicks off today at various venues.

SHOULD Vibe CT105 W Connection get the blistering fast start they had for the last T&T Pro League season, then the upcoming campaign might be over as soon as it begins.

In 2005, most of the other teams were playing catch-up from early as the Brazilian-laced W Connection line-up won their first six matches.

The bright start, including victories over San Juan Jabloteh (2-1), North East Stars (4-0), Tobago United (7-0), United Petrotrin (4-1), Defence Force (5-2) and Caledonia AIA/Fire (3-0), saw W Connection completing the first round unbeaten. Afterwards, their closest rivals, Jabloteh, were chasing a lead of at least ten points for much of the season. None could close the gap.

None of the ten teams in this year's Pro League will want W Connection to have another such super season and among those out to stop them are the "Oil Boys", United Petrotrin, who were the last team to beat the defending champions.

Today's opening round of the 2006 competition sees United Petrotrin travelling to the Aton Boldon Stadium in Couva to take on the champs in what is essentially a South/Central derby.

In their first season of professional football last season, Petrotrin were on the end of a couple of humbling results against the top teams, including a 4-1 whipping early on. But by the end of the season, the newcomers had found their feet and were streaking.

A string of impressive results, including a 3-2 turnaround against W Connection, landed them the Lucozade Big Six competition.

It was indeed a testimony to their improvement that Petrotrin should land the end of season tournament, as for much of the season many thought they were better only than cellar-placed Tobago United.

Petrotrin were the last team to qualify for the Big Six and the first to win it.

Coach Brian Williams, once a stalwart in the United Petrotrin back line, credits the uncertainty of actually getting into the Pro League as the reason for their poor start to last season. But having won silverware in their first season, the 2005 Pro League Coach of the Year is confident of making a good impression.

Today's opening round will also see action at the Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar, where Neal & Massy Caledonia AIA entertain Defence Force; newcomers Superstar Rangers travel to Tobago to meet Tobago United; and San Fernando Starworld Strikers clash with CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella.

Tomorrow, Joe Public play their first Pro League match in three seasons in Sangre Grande against North East Stars.
Jemmott joins Joe Public
T&T Pro League
by Ian Prescott (Express)

Saturday, April 8th 2006
 
 
Kerwyn Jemmott

KERWYN JEMMOTT is among a string of former national players who have been hard in training with Joe Public in preparation for the 2006 T&T Pro League which starts today.

In addition to two Colombians, five Jamaicans and four Brazilians , the Eastern Lions will also showcase former Trinidad and Tobago players Arnold Dwarika, Lyndon "Chubby" Andrews, Travis Mulraine, Gary Glasgow and Jemmott, who have all returned to their former club.

The line-up makes Super League champions Joe Public one of the favoured teams on their return to the Pro League after three years.

Jemmott seems to have resurrected his career after disappearing most of last season.

Talented enough to be in and out of the Trinidad and Tobago national squad, Jemmott has been accused by many head coaches of being uninterested at times and sometimes abandoning his team during the season.

Joe Public coach Michael McComie has taken a chance on him. The question now is, which Jemmott will turn up, the talented, gifted player or the unmotivated one, and will he last the entire season?

Joe Public were due to sign contracts with their players on Thursday.
 

 

[madmonn]

So ALL South Men STAND UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

From what plenty South women tell meh....dat is a RARE OCCURENCE! 

Whey sah yuh hitting hard dread

[trinbago]

Ok .....How come TI are resond to this article yet !!!!!!!!

 

[palos]

So ALL South Men STAND UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

From what plenty South women tell meh....dat is a RARE OCCURENCE! 

Whey sah yuh hitting hard dread

Nah man.  Is jes kicks.  No disrespeck meant....pure fun.

[madmonn]

yeah ah know....cool scene

[shooter]

yeah for real is time the south community come out and support the pfl teams in their area...because these are  players that they supported when they played college football but after that the fan base does drop...so come on southerners  big up allyuhself  and come out...bless